KNIGHT, Consul to Benj. P. Avery , United States, June 19, 1875

Mr. Knight to Mr. Avery.

Sir: Some private communications having appeared in the Shanghai newspapers which tend to give very erroneous impressions regarding the condition of this district— and I take particular exception to the letter in the Courier of the 31st ultimo—I would inform you that the surrounding country is, so far as foreign interests and trade gen-ally is concerned, in a peaceful condition.

Manchuria, as you are doubtless aware, has ever been infested by small bodies of wandering marauders, whose proceedings have at times proved a hinderance to trade and a danger to travelers.

A body of these marauders established themselves last month at a small town called Tien-chwan-tai, situated about twenty miles from this by the river, headed by a man named Chwang-tien-chen, whose son is arrested. This disorder, however, was purely local, and was soon settled on the appearance of a detachment of the military police of this place.

Difficult as it is to obtain reliable information from Chinese sources, there is reason to attribute this deplorable state of affairs to the conduct of the late governor, Tu-sing-ah, a man of high character, but whose extreme old age incapacitated him from exercising a strict surveillance of his secretary and other subordinates, some of whom have lately been degraded for complicity with bad characters.

The recent appointment, however, of Chung-shih, a brother of his excellency Chung How, as governor of this province, is satisfactory, inasmuch as he bears a character which leads us to hope that the rule of the brigands along the road is at an end.

A regiment of Tien-tsin foreign-drilled soldiers has arrived from that place, and some mounted cavalry are soon to follow, subject to his orders.

Many are the speculations as to what special purpose these troops are intended for, besides keeping order generally throughout the country; and there is a report that some rich gold-mines have been discovered lately in Kirin, which are attracting numbers who may in time become troublesome. My own belief is, however, that these troops were ordered hither to suppress the illegal cutting and shipment of timber which is being carried on, regardless of all restraint, by a number of outlaws from the strip of country, said to be thirty miles wide, which marks the boundary between Chinese territory and Corea.

Last autumn these wood-cutters came into collision with the local authorities at one of the two small towns named on the chart Si-kan-li and Tung-kao-li, east of the mouth of the Yalu River, and the result was the killing of the chief official and the capture of the town.

These outlaw wood-cutters, under the leadership of a bandit of some note, named Kao-hsi-tien, whom the authorities are determined to arrest at all hazards, are, it is said, so intrenched that only shelling will break their hues.

It is noteworthy that this expedition is being organized with some approach to western systems.

As the infantry forces, with a detachment of cavalry, march overland southward to the point of attack, they are to be supported by two or three gunboats, whose rendezvous is now established at the conveniently-situated island named Hai-Yuii-tao.

While apprehending that these troops were especially intended for the above service, I hope the report is true that they will be retained in the province as a permanent force.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant,